Resolution on the illegal attack on Egitim-Sen Turkey
The Fourth World Congress of Education International, meeting in Porto Alegre (Brazil) from 22 to 26 July 2004:
1. Acknowledging the new attempt of the General Attorney of Ankara to try to close down the teacher trade union Egitim-Sen with its 200,000 members, based on the accusation of having written in its constitution and regulations the right of mother tongue education and the right of minorities to foster their specific cultural heritage in freedom.
2. Acknowledging that there is an urgent need for intervention after the first court session in June and the foreseen final session mid September.
3. Ascertainingthe democratic right of trade unions to establish its constitution and regulations independently and freely, in accordance with the decisions of the constitutional bodies in the trade union and the ILO conventions.
4. Ascertaining that the constitution of Egitim-Sen reflects the provision of the international respected human rights without any restriction.
5. Condemns the recent intervention of the General Attorney of Ankara in his efforts to reiterate the attempts to destroy the largest democratic and independent teacher trade union in Turkey on the ground of unclear and/or irrational reasons.
6. Condemns the attempt to violate the basic right of Egitim-Sen to exercise the freedom of association.
7. Appeals to the Turkish government to end immediately the threatening of the existence of Egitim-Sen and to guarantee Egitim-Sen the freedom to exercise all the rights deriving from the international law and rights, accepted and ratified by the Turkish government and parliament.
8. Appeals to the member organisations to participate in the court session mid September in order to show the international support for Egitim-Sen in this crucial case of fundamental trade union rights and especially the freedom of association.
